More efforts needed to raise teen long-term contraceptive use

Only about 5 percent of teen girls in the U.S. use long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) methods like intrauterine devices (IUDs) and hormonal implants, often opting instead for birth control pills or condoms, according to the authors of the study. “We also know LARC is safe for teens, easy to use and highly effective,” Romero told Reuters Health. More than 273,000 infants were born to U.S. teens ages 15 to 19 in 2013, according to the CDC. Giving birth can lead to health, economic and social problems for these young mothers and their children, and costs the U.S. $ 9.4 billion yearly, Romero and her colleagues write in the CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.Sexual Health News Headlines – Yahoo! News